surprise!

I've moved! And I hope you like my new home:) For the last couple of years I've known I've needed an actual website with WordPress and at long last, it's here! I've moved to a softer, more vintage look though some of you might miss these misty woods! It's kind of bittersweet saying goodbye to Blogger and the memories made here...

Heartfelt thanks to HDCreative in Seattle for giving me a new place to land.

Just click on Laura Frantz and we'll pick up where we left off...

Bless you!

surprise coming...

I just wanted to say I have a surprise coming that I hope delights your heart like it does mine:) For now, till it appears, I'll be quietly working on that next novel and sipping out of my Mason jar. Summer is nearly here!

Back soon...

remembering

In honor of Memorial Day, I thought I'd share something from my research concerning the Civil War and Gettysburg that I find very moving. 

Elizabeth Thorn was the wife of the caretaker of Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg. He was also a soldier in the U.S. Army. The mother of three, Elizabeth was six months pregnant with her fourth child, when the battle of Gettysburg ended. In the three weeks following, she buried a hundred or more fallen soldiers in the July heat, sometimes assisted by her aged parents. Three months later her baby, Rose, was born. Her husband, Peter, eventually came home.

For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.

~William Penn

a true kentucky tale

Happy almost end of May!

I can't believe June is right around the corner. Lately with travel and a bunch of school and fiddle activities, I've been AWOL;)

But I'd be remiss as a Kentuckian and history lover if I didn't tell you about the History Channel's upcoming showing of the Hatfields and McCoys. The video trailer is absolutely mesmerizing but since it's quite dark given the subject matter, I'll just highlight a few pictures.

Since I grew up in Hatfield-McCoy territory, I've long been a student of their history and this is a must-see for me. The large cast includes Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton as clan leaders, Devil Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy.

I've always been fascinated by the tragic Johnse-Roseanna love affair at the heart of the feud and the depths to which these families descended when driven by hatred and revenge. Sadly, the feud-mentality still exists in some parts of Appalachia. I'll be interested in seeing how true to life this miniseries is and what liberties are taken. I've already detected a difference in Roseanna. She was dark-headed, not a blonde!

On a lighter note, Devil Anse became a Christian in his later years and was baptized by a preacher who proudly boasted he'd "dunked the devil himself." He lived the remainder of his life at peace though no doubt haunted by his past.

Take a peek at the archaic but novel-worthy clan names - Ellison, Tolbert, Perry, Phamer, Selkirk, Wall, Parris, and poor Cotton Top. The women include Alifair and Levicy to name a few...

Over the long weekend, the Frantz clan is planning a BBQ on our deck, rain or shine (probably rain:) We often grill beneath an umbrella!

I'd love to know what you're doing for the long weekend:) Or if you've heard about this tragic part of Kentucky's past...?


Have a blessed end of May!

all things

A precious secret of Christian life is to have Jesus dwelling within the heart and conquering things we could never overcome. It is the only secret of power in our lives. Men cannot understand it nor will the world believe it is true that God will come to dwell within us and be the power, the purity, the victory and the joy of our lives.

Our attitude will no longer be, "What is the best that I can do?" but we will ask, "What is the best that Christ can do?"

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

~Philippians 4:13

Days of Heaven on Earth

A.B. Simpson

see you in Seattle...or Portland!

I'll be signing books in the Seattle and Portland area this week and would love to see you!

Please join fellow Revell authors Mesu Andrews, Ann Shorey, Bonnie Leon and myself. We'll have a giveaway basket, chocolate, bookmarks and more:

Friday, May 18, 2012 ~ 5~7:00 p.m.

Beaverton (Portland) LifeWay Christian Store

2785 SW Cedar Hills Boulevard

Beaverton, Oregon 97005

Saturday, May 19, 2112 ~ 1~3:00 p.m.

Tukwila LifeWay

Parkway Super Center

17326 South Center Parkway

Tukwila, Washington 98188

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And the winner of a signed copy of The Ride of Her Life is...KIM!

If you can email me at lauran@tfon.com, we'll mail the book to you:)

Congrats and happy reading, my friend!

Heartfelt thanks to Lorna for being such a wonderful guest!

See you next week...

the ride of YOUR life;)

Our final Friday giveaway features last but not least, Lorna Seilstad. She's a fellow author and friend at Revell who is giving away a signed, hot off the press copy of her new release, The Ride of Her Life here...which may just prove the ride of yours!  

The first time I saw this cover I smiled:) The colors are wonderful and if you look closely, the roller coaster actually appears to be in motion as there's a delightful bit of blur...

Here's a bit about the book...

The only man pragmatic Lilly Hart needs in her life is a six year old. Widowed two years, Lilly leaves the shelter of her intrusive in-law's home to stand on her own and provide for her young son by working for the summer as a cook at Lake Manawa.


However, her in-laws find that life utterly unsuitable for their grandson, and when a row ensues, a handsome stranger - who designs roller coasters, of all things - intercedes on her behalf. Still, Lilly is not about to get involved with any man, especially this cocky (though charismatic) gentleman.  Little does she know she is about to begin the ride of her life...                                                                                                                     

It's been such a blessing to know Lorna as we're both new Revell authors. Somehow she manages to juggle many hats besides author - wedding planner, mom and wife, and church ministry to name a few. With her new book releasing this month, she's been busy with radio interviews, book signings, and more - and she's here to answer any questions about the writing life or her books!

Please leave a comment or question for Lorna if you'd like to be included in the drawing.

Winner announced this Monday, May 14.

Join Lorna at her website ~ http://www.lornaseilstad.com and also her group blog at http://www.inkspirationalmessages.com where a great group of book-loving writers post a wonderful array of topics!

Bless you!

counting kisses

I'm counting kisses in book 2 of The Ballantyne Legacy;) I'll never forget the reader who said she never gives a book a high rating if there are less than 3 kisses in it! While I chuckled at the time, I've given it serious thought since. Sometimes kisses count...

I've always considered myself a historical fiction author, not a historical romance author. There is a difference. Romances almost always have the hero arrive early and then he and the heroine dance around till the end of the book. In plain ol' historical fiction, the "rules" are a bit more lax. Heroes can pretty much come in whenever they please and the book doesn't follow the traditional romance pattern. The emphasis is usually more on history. There are always exceptions of course. But woe to the romance writer who violates the rules - or the reader who picks up a book thinking it's a romance and gets more history instead!



This is the sweetest scene. Love the hesitancy between them - so true to life. Love that he's tender with her - and that she is somewhat sad when the kiss ends. Catch her longing look? His sudden confusion? Their silhouettes...the light behind them. Hear that violin? This is no peck on the cheek! Yet it's genuine and respectful and more. Hmmm... There's something about film that captures what few books can. This scene works on so many levels. At least for me...

I love writing such stuff:)

Are you more a historical romance reader or a historical fiction reader? Ever count kisses? 

keep sweet

Keep sweet...

How these words help us! Think of them when people rasp you, when the devil pricks you with his fiery darts, when your sensitive, self-willed spirit chafes or frets. Let a gentle voice be heard above the strife, whispering, "Keep sweet! Keep sweet!" And, if you will but heed it quickly, you will be saved from a thousand falls and kept in perfect peace.

True, we cannot keep ourselves sweet, but God will keep us if He sees that it is our fixed, determined purpose to be kept sweet, and to refuse to fret or bear a grudge, and sympathize with our hurt feelings and nurse our little grievance.

God will give us all the love we really want and honestly choose. We can have our grievance or we can have the peace that passeth all understanding, but we cannot have both. 

There is a balm for a thousand heartaches, and a heaven of peace and power in these two little words - keep sweet. 

A.B. Simpson

Days of Heaven on Earth

giveaway winner...

Thanks to everyone for making Carla feel so welcome. Wish I could send a book to everyone! This time round the winner of The Shadow Catcher's Daughter is...

Billie!

Congratulations ~ when I have your snail mail address I'll mail the book to you!

I have yet another friend releasing a book this month. Lorna Seilstad will join us soon to talk about The Ride of Her Life, her third historical romance with Revell. Even the cover is fun and intriguing:)

Happy Monday!

happy anniversary!

It's the one year anniversary of this great historical blog and we're drinking tea and giving away books!

Please join us if you can this coming Monday, May 7th:)

Colonial Quills
Bless you!

friday giveaway!

 It's always exciting when a friend releases their very first novel. Carla Olson Gade is someone you may know as she has an active web presence and is a friend to many. I've been so intrigued with her book, The Shadow Catcher's Daughter, as it has a Red Shirt type hero, something not often seen in the CBA. Here's the back cover copy...

ELIANA HAS SECRETS

Daring Eliana Van Horn aims to make her mark by joining her father as his photography assistant - disguised as a young man - on a survey expedition to the remote Four Corners.

Living in the shadows of his native heritage, trail guide Yiska Wilcox is thrown off course when the shadow catcher's daughter opens up the uncharted territory of his heart.

As they travel through dangerous terrain in the mountains and deserts of Colorado and New Mexico, Eliana and Yiska must learn to overcome the barriers of culture, faith, and ideals to discover common ground. Though they are worlds apart, will they stake a chance on love?

Some fun "history" about Carla:

She's a bonafide New Englander, born in Massachusetts and now living in Maine

Her ancestors were among the first settlers in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1636 ~ and included a few Plymouth pilgrims in 1620

She's a web designer and literacy advocate as well as author

She's married to her real-life hero, Brad, and has two grown sons

Her favorite historical period is  the 18th-century though she loves history, period!

Learn more about her and upcoming books by visiting her beautiful blog/website, CarlaGade.com

If you'd like to be in the drawing for The Shadow Catcher's Daughter, please leave a comment for Carla below. Winner announced this coming Monday, May 7!

why write?

first thing

"...acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts."

1 Chronicles 28:9

Acknowledging God first thing every morning transforms our day. I try to begin my day by reconfirming His authority over me and submitting to Him as Lord in advance of my daily circumstances. When I begin my day without settling the matter of authority, I am usually a train wreck by noon. Remember, any day not surrendered to the Spirit of God will automatically default to the flesh. (Galatians 5:16-17). Spiritual living does not come naturally - sin does. The first step to victory is acknowledging the authority of God in our lives.

~Beth Moore

David, Seeking a Heart Like His

more romance...

I'm posting over at Colonial Quills today, continuing the historic wedding theme and talking about posy rings. If you've never heard of them they're quite romantic! And I so wish I had one of my own:) Hope to see you there! If not, have a happy Wednesday!

here comes the bride...

I'm getting ready to write a wedding scene in Ballantyne Book 2 and can hardly wait! I so love a wedding whether on paper or in person:) Must be the romantic in me. Weddings in novels have waned over the last few years because it's considered too formulaic to end a book with a bride. Seems like most books, especially romances, of yesteryear did this so maybe it's true. But that's not gonna stop me!

I've had a lot of fun researching this wedding. At left is a gown, circa 1854. The bridal corset below is a bit later. And the wedding bonnet at the last is from 1830 or so. White wasn't always the most popular color for brides. That's more a modern invention. During colonial times the preferred color was yellow. In the scene I'm writing, my 1822 bride wears blue ~ "Married in blue, ever true." A bit of white heather in the bouquet was considered lucky. May was avoided as an unlucky month as was January. Superstitions abounded!

I have a wedding announcement of my great-grandparents framed and hanging on my bedroom wall. The wording is quaint and romantic...

Mrs. Lindsey Duncan

announces the marriage of her daughter

Louise

to

Mr. Willie J. Blanton

Thursday, June the twenty-second

nineteen hundred eleven

At home

after July the fifteenth

Berea, Kentucky

Some fun historical wedding trivia:

*The bride was dressed by her "best maid" and every article had to be new

*The bride's party had to reach the church first

*The groom could not see the bride the day of the wedding till the ceremony (that hasn't changed!)

*The present of a hat was often given to the minister

*Bride's cake was often hidden beneath the pillow of an unmarried girl in hopes they'd dream of their future husband

*Honeymoons, or wedding journeys, often lasted a month or more

I'd love to hear about your wedding, whether in person or on paper or the one you're dreaming of! No doubt it will help my storybook nuptials:) Did you observe any traditions or hope to? 

giveaway winner!

The winner of Sanctuary for a Lady is...

Andrea!

If you email me your snail mail address at lauran@tfon.com, I'll mail the book out:)

More giveaways are coming up with authors Lorna Seilstad ~ The Ride of Her Life ~ and Carla Gade ~ The Shadow Catcher's Daughter ~ as both have new releases to celebrate.

Heartfelt thanks to Naomi for being here and answering such great questions so very thoughtfully!

Bless you all!

Q and A ~ with giveaway!

Author Naomi Rawlings is here today! She's a debut author who has a passion for penning stories and answering questions about her writing journey...


"I write romance because I enjoy writing about family and love, both human and divine. True love isn't easy. It brings about trials and sacrifices, create obstacles that people must overcome if they want all the benefits of a loving, romantic relationship. I enjoy diving into all the different dimensions of love and exploring them, and I don't see myself ever tiring of that. And I also find my characters need to find God’s love and a right relationship with Him before they can fully embrace human love. So the romance aspect of a novel fits together rather tightly for me, and feels fresh every time I tackle a new story.

"I write historical fiction because I love being able to travel back to any time or place I choose. Perhaps I have too active of an imagination, but I remember sitting in history classes in high school and college. Whenever I'd learn about some tragedy or major historical event, I'd think "What would it be like to live through that." With this story, Sanctuary for a Lady, I wondered what it would be like to be born a French aristocrat and have the world at your feet. Then one day, peasants raid your house and kill your family. In a matter of a few days you'd go from having everything to having nothing. So what would you do? How would you respond? Would you be able to survive?

Sanctuary for a Lady answers those questions through the character of Isabelle, a dukes daughter fleeing for her life. It's a novel of love and survival and forgiveness. I hope people love reading it as much as I loved writing it!"

I'd love to give away a copy of Sanctuary for a Lady to someone here! If you'd like to enter the drawing, please leave a comment and question for Naomi below. I'll start off  with a question of my own...

Bless you all - and a heartfelt thanks to Naomi for being here!

Winner announced Monday, April 23!

puritan praise

I thank Thee for the temporal blessings of this world - the refreshing air, the light of the sun, the food that renews strength, the raiment that clothes, the dwelling that shelters, the sleep that gives rest, the starry canopy of night, the summer breeze, the flowers' sweetness, the music of flowing streams, the happy endearments of family, kindred, friends. Things animate, things inanimate, minister to my comfort. My cup runs over. Suffer me not to be insensible to these daily mercies.

Amen.

~Puritan Prayer

sanctuary

Your job is to offer a sanctuary of beauty to an ugly world. 

~Jeff Goins

Once in a while I come across writing that takes my breath away. Though I've never met Jeff Goins, he's a kindred spirit ~ or my new BFF, as Beth Moore likes to say;) 

I particularly like the little wonder of an e-book he's created called The Writer's Manifesto. It's very freeing, even profound.  

Today, on his blog, he talks about your job as an artist...

"You must press into the work you've been given, stretch yourself further than you're meant to go, somehow believe in faith that something good will come. 

This is not an easy life, as we see exemplified by men like Van Gogh who mutilate themselves and women like Emily Dickinson who cut themselves off from the rest of the world.

You must "think different" and go beyond expectations and norms, challenging the status quo. This is why we need your work. Because so few people are willing to do this - to truly be creative and accept the inherent risks of rejection that come along with it. And that's why the most important quality of an artist is simply this: courage. (With a splash of craziness, of course)." 

Happy Friday!

promises

He has given us His very great and precious promises. 

2 Peter 1:4

There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to publicly profess Him and then not use Him. He loves for us to make use of Him, for His covenant blessings are not simply meant to be looked at but should be appropriated. Our Lord Jesus has been given to us for our present use. Are you making use of Him as you should?

O beloved, I plead with you not to treat God's promises as something to be displayed in a museum but to use them as everyday sources of comfort. And whenever you have a time of need, trust in the Lord.

~Charles H. Spurgeon

pages and pages!

Whew! Can you believe we're into April already? The days are flying...the pages are flying! All 428 of them!   

I've been busy reading through the typeset Love's Reckoning. At this stage, the pages are an author's last chance to prayerfully make a few changes (very few) to a manuscript before it goes to print. Thankfully, I've only found a few things to highlight in red. Pretty soon you'll hold the book in hand and I'm praying about that, too!

Over spring break, Randy and I drove down to Oregon and the beautiful Willamette Valley. The sun was shining and we enjoyed Mt. Hood and all the history in the region. Oregon is very different than Washington as there's no sales tax and you don't pump your own gas. Nice! We discovered Oregonians are very fond of their pets. They even have water fountains at ground level for dogs and such at the parks!

While there I was able to meet with one of the most delightful book clubs anywhere. They're a group of godly women with a heart for Christian fiction who get together regularly despite their busy schedules. We shared a wonderful luncheon and spent the afternoon talking books:) Heartfelt thanks to all the women for making me so welcome. Our hostess, Alissa (third from left) is a nurse with a heart for medical missions who hopes to go to India or the Philippines. Her mom, Elena, second from left, has the gift of hospitality and hosted this at her lovely home. Love these book clubs and the women who give them so much zest!!

Speaking of books, what page are you on? Any great reads to rave about? 

Easter

spring break!

I'm on the road this week but will be back soon with news of velvet bookmarks and book trips:)

Happy spring!

refitted

Our Father is fitting us for eternity. A vessel fitted for the kitchen will find itself in the kitchen. A vessel for the art gallery or the reception room will generally find itself there at last.

What are we being refitted for? To be a garbage receptacle to hold all the trash that people pour into our ears? Or a vase to hold sweet fragrance and flowers for the King's palace? A harp of many strings to sound the melodies of His love and praise? Each of us is going to his own place. 

Let us be fitted now.

Days of Heaven on Earth

~A.B. Simpson

the melt factor

I'm getting ready to create my 11th hero:).  So far we have Ian, Red Shirt, Colonel McLinn, and two you've yet to meet. If I dig deep in my antique trunk, I'll unearth those unsung heroes who'll never see the light of day ~ Matthew, Stephen, Winston Cade Cabot Luce, the 7th Duke of Devlin (isn't that atrocious?! He was from my college days), and there are one or two I can't remember which were less than memorable. Which brings me to the point of this post! Heroes must be memorable:)

I must confess I felt a little like one of my heroines when I saw the man in this picture on Pinterest recently. I melted. There's something so irresistibly handsome about him - perhaps even heroic. Happily married woman that I am, I was instantly smitten! This picture might not have the same effect on you and that's okay. Everyone has a different melting point;)

I love creating heroes even more than heroines. A hero doesn't have to be handsome. But his soul and spirit should be. He can be angry but never whiny. He can be lost but there has to be the ring of redemption about him. He must be flawed. But strong. Your hero should be so compelling that you find yourself thinking about him when you're not writing. That goes for your heroine, too. I always say my characters are as real to me as my own family members - and I'm not exaggerating!

Take the hero you're either reading about or writing about. What do you like about him? Were you smitten right away? Or did he grow on you? I'd love to read your insights on what makes a hero tick for you ~ or not!

It seems only fitting to end this post with the winner of North and South! Talk about a hero!

The winner is...

EMMA!

If you can email your snail mail addy to lauran@tfon.com, I'll mail your hero/movie right out;)

a thousand imaginary beads

There are some things that God will not tolerate in us. We must leave them. Nehemiah would not talk with Sanballat about his charges and fears. He simply refused to have anything to do with the matter - even to take refuge in the temple to pray about it.

How very few things we really have to do with in life. If we would only drop all the needless things and simply do the things that absolutely require our attention from morning till night we would find what a slender thread life is. But we string upon it a thousand imaginary beads and burden ourselves with cares and flurries that - if we had trusted more - would never have needed to preoccupy us.

Wise indeed is the testimony of the dear old saint who said, in review of her past life, "I have had a great many troubles in my life, especially those that never came."

~A.B. Simpson

misty woods

You may notice a vast change here on my blog/site if you're one of my regular readers. For some time I've been admiring your blogs, dreaming of a new look, as many of you are so creative that way and make changes so often.

Thanks to my dear friend and artist, Laurie Justus Pace, I have a new design! Laurie's generous spirit shines through everything she does. She has a beautiful website and blog of her own, filled with her paintings, her life as an artist, and her passion for Christ. Here is a photo of Laurie and a little painter which embodies her servant's heart and spirit.

The misty woods you see in the new blog background are the very ones surrounding me. The photo was taken by photographer friend/fellow church member, Roger Mosley. He climbed up the mountain in back of our house and snapped this photo not long ago, kindly giving his permission to share it here. Our house is in the photo only you can't see it for the mist.

The woman at the far left corner is yours truly:) After being unable to find a workable image, I braided my hair and donned an 18th-century shift and sat down at my writing desk. Paul took the picture as only a 12 year old photographer can do! Thankfully, Laurie was able to use it. It's nice to have pages now and a more user-friendly approach. Several things I could never figure out are now in place. Thank you, Laurie, from the bottom of my cyber-unsavvy heart!!

If you have a blog, I'd love to hear if you enjoy blogging and which features you like best on your blog. Also, what sort of blog posts would you like to see here in future? More on writing? Continue the devotional posts? More on personal things like knitting and family or recipes? Anything goes! 

Bless you bunches!

downton abbey!

I will always be grateful to readers here for introducing me to the BBC bliss of North and South. Life since John Thornton just hasn't been the same. He's quite the dark hero. And now I've been hearing all this buzz about another period piece...Downton Abbey!

A few days ago I looked in my mailbox and out popped the first 2 seasons! Someone very dear to me sent them and I nearly jumped up and down:) Didn't have a clue they were on the way. Since the mailer said Amazon, I thought it was a book instead!

Since you all have primed the pump, so to speak, I can hardly wait to watch! So...

Should I eek out an episode an evening or have a DA fest, complete with diet Dr. Pepper Cherry and popcorn, and watch season one in one glorious sweep?!? Do you have a favorite character? One who's TSTL (too stupid to live, in the words of my savvy friend, Ruth)? One to watch out for? If you're not a fan, I'd love to hear that, too!

Also, I have one 'gently watched' DVD of North and South to give to someone here if you haven't seen this amazing film or would like your own copy. Wish I had one for everyone!


Winner announced next Monday, March 26.


Happy Monday!

think like psalmists

Some people are afraid of color. They think that spirituality consists in being drab. But God made color! He made all shades of colors. Look at the sunset - what is it, just something scientific? Do you think that God splashed the lovely, beautiful sky with rose, cerise, blue and white and wasn't smiling when He did that? Is that just an accident of nature, scientifically explained? Then you've got too much learning for your own good! Go empty your head and get your heart filled and you'll be better off. The Holy Spirit wrote 150 psalms and in those psalms He celebrates the wonders of God's creation.

We ought to stop thinking like scientists and think like psalmists. This infinite God is enjoying Himself. Somebody is having a good time in heaven and earth and sea and sky. Somebody is painting the sky. Somebody is making trees to grow where only gashes were a year ago. Somebody is causing the ice to melt out of the river and the fish to swim and the birds to sing and lay their blue eggs and build their nests and hatch their young. Somebody's running the universe.

A.W. Tozer, The Attributes of God, Volume 1

prize of my heart

I think this is the most romantic book cover. It contains so many elements I love - the unbound hair, the pink gown, her expectant expression, the ship!! Everything is lovely and appealing and indicative of the time period. And the author, Lisa Norato, is just as winsome:) We're in a writers group together and she hails from a richly historic place in Rhode Island. I can hardly wait to read the book!

Her debut novel, Prize of My Heart, has just released and we're having a party to help celebrate at Colonial Quills. I'll close comments here in hopes of seeing you over there. There's lots of fun, giveaways, and fellowship going on!

Here's the first line from chapter one...

Duxboro, Massachusetts, 1815


Captain Brogan Talvis was rounding the stern of his newly constructed square-rigged ship when, from across the shipyard, the sight of a young woman took him aback.


Happy Monday!

more Whitefield

Holy and frequent meditation is a blessed means of keeping up a believer's walk with God. "Prayer, reading, temptation, and meditation," says Luther, "make a minister." And they also make, and perfect, a Christian. Be frequent therefore in meditation, all you who desire to keep up and maintain a close and uniform walk with the most high God. 

God never sends but what is necessary, when there is something that needs be purged away; we glorify God in the fire when we say, "Lord, do not let the fire go out until it has done its work." Then we can glorify God when we wish for the good of the fire and can say from our hearts, "Lord, do with me as seems good in your sight."

What I am most afraid of is, lest I should flag in the latter stages of my road. But he that hath loved and helped me, will love and help me to the end. O pray that I may not go off as a snuff. I would fain die blazing, not with human glory, but the love of Jesus.

 ~George Whitefield, 1714~1770

words spoken true

I wanted to spotlight a dear author friend's book today ~ love that cover! And the story within is just as appealing. Here's the back cover copy:

Adriane Darcy can't imagine life without her father's Tribune newspaper offices. But the battle for readers gets fierce when Blake Garrett - a brash, young editor with a controversial reporting style - takes over their failing competitor, The Herald. When sparks fly between Adriane and Blake, can he get the story - and the girl - before it's too late?


Ann has been a wonderful friend and mentor to me besides being a fellow Revell author. She's the bestselling author of several Shaker novels and has a passion for historical fiction which really shines in this new release. She's already getting great reviews for Words Spoken True!

She also has a very insightful blog and her post today provides another peek into the writing life. I'm getting ready for the pages she talks about now that the galleys are done. Ann has a lot of wisdom and I'm privileged to call her a friend. Her website is full of great info and links to order her books. Here's her blog link below...


Ann H Gabhart - One Writer's Journal: One Last Chance to Make It Right: "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that...



Have a wonderful weekend!

tea with george

My favorite February memory, now that we're rolling into March, was having tea with George Washington on his birthday at the replica of Mt. Vernon  here in the Pacific Northwest. The George Washington Inn sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean. This beautiful place makes me feel at rest whenever I go there. Surrounding the inn are lavender fields and there's a snowy mountain view from the front porch.

 Here's my dear mom and George, friend and reenactor, Vern Frykholm. I met Vern and his wife, Sandy, on the Philadelphia tour we took last summer. They're history lovers like myself and he did a stellar job as George! The suit he is wearing is a reproduction of  the one worn by Washington at his inauguration. Love that cravat!

 The tea was delightful in every way! Love the blue decorations and the little flags - and the menu!

 On the veranda overlooking the ocean. The sun was shining and there was a double rainbow in the sky that day. Truly a sight to behold!

I was chuckling as I looked back at February and thought of some not-so-memorable things that happened that the cynic in me would love to post about, lest it seem a writer's life is all tea parties and rainbows;) But since the new year rolled around I keep bumping into Scripture that challenges me to dwell on what is  good and praiseworthy. Two verses come to mind often...

Be of good cheer. ~Acts 27:22 (KJV)
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
~1 Thessalonians 5:18 (God's Word Translation)


Do you have a favorite February memory if you overlook the bumps? Looking forward to something in March?